LOS ANGELES — Kacey Musgraves, the 25-year-old Nashville singer-songwriter who trades in wry, tradition-tweaking truths, took home best country album for “Same Trailer Different Park” and country song (for “Merry Go ’Round) prizes at the 56th annual Grammy Awards on Sunday night.

“I can’t put into words how excited I am to represent the country music genre with the music I’ve gotten to make,” she said backstage at the Staples Center. “I made a record that was inspired by real life, everything I was going through at the time, but also all of the traditional elements of country music that I love, that I grew up with.”

Since the release of “Trailer” in March 2013, Musgraves has been lauded as a game-changing talent, though radio programmers have been reluctant to offer a full embrace. The album has sold more than 300,000 copies on its way to a place atop numerous best-of-2013 lists.

Earlier in the day, in the pre-telecast show across the street at the Nokia Theatre, Musgraves and co-writers Shane McAnally and Josh Osborn won best country song for “Merry Go ’Round,” thus far Musgraves’ only top 10 radio hit. There, Osborne said of Musgraves, “She’s good for our format and she’s good for all music.”

Indeed, Musgraves’ wins were cheered by many in Nashville musicians who tired of last year’s glut of radio hits themed around beer, trucks and parties. Americana musician Tommy Womack went to social media to proclaim his slack-jawed amazement that Musgraves’ awards “went to someone whose record I actually bought.”

Left-of-mainstream music did well in the country categories, with wins for Musgraves and The Civil Wars.

Darius Rucker’s “Wagon Wheel,” a song with unusual beginnings, won the best country solo performance award. “Wagon Wheel” was written by Ketch Secor of string band Old Crow Medicine Show, and based on an unfinished Bob Dylan song (thus, Dylan shares a writing credit).

“I heard it at a talent show with some teachers playing it at my daughter’s high school and decided I wanted to cut it,” Rucker said. “Now, I’ve got a Grammy for it.”

John Paul White and Joy Williams of The Civil Wars haven’t worked together since the recording of their eponymous sophomore album, but White accepted the duo’s third Grammy in three years, for best country duo/group performance.

Keith Urban won no awards this year, but he took a major stage turn, dueting with bluesy guitar wizard Gary Clark Jr. on Urban’s “Cop Car.”

“He’s a great guitar player,” Clark said. “I didn’t realize how amazing he is until I saw him at (Eric Clapton’s) Crossroads (festival). Blues and country, they’re definitely related. It’s cool to throw some twang on it and play guitar.”

Urban and Clark’s was one of 20 performances on the three-and-a-half hour show, and Nashville-affiliated artists had plenty of time in the spotlight.

“My Favorite Picture Of You” was received with enough critical acclaim to suggest that it might well have topped a new Dylan effort. Clark stayed home in Nashville — he has been in lousy health, and three previous Grammy trips left him trophy-less and feeling herded — where he spent Sunday afternoon receiving calls of congratulations from friends and acolytes.

“I tried to call him as soon as I heard, and his phone was already busy,” said Rodney Crowell, whose life in music has been profoundly influenced by Clark, and who himself collected his first Grammy in 24 years when his duo project with Country Music Hall of Famer Emmylou Harris, “Old Yellow Moon” was named best Americana album.

Crowell’s “Bluebird Wine” was the first song on Harris’ 1975 debut album, and it was recorded by producer Brian Ahern at a house on Beverly Hills’ Lania Lane. Crowell often recorded at that home with Harris and Ahern in his formative, young pup days.

Asked whether he could have imagined sharing a Grammy with Harris back then, Crowell said, “I would never have presumed. The innocence of the moment is the best you can hope for. The good things come from the work that you do.”

Clark was not the eldest Tennessean to win a Grammy this year: That designation goes to easy-grinning “Grand Ole Opry” member Del McCoury, whose Del McCoury Band won best bluegrass album for “The Streets Of Baltimore.”

Click for a photo gallery of the 2014 Grammy Awards red carpet

“This is my 75th year and we won a Grammy, and I’m tickled to death about that,” said McCoury, who credited sons Rob and Ronnie McCoury with revitalizing his career in the 1980s, when they joined the band.
“They were great musicians, right from the start,” said dad Del McCoury. “It really inspired me. They pushed, me, boy. This old man really had to get with it when they came in.”

Middle Tennessean Mandisa’s “Overcomer,” which topped Billboard Christian charts last year, won the Grammy for best contemporary christian album, and songwriters David Garcia, Ben Glover and Christopher Stevens won the contemporary christian song trophy for penning the title track.

“She’s got an amazing gift with singing songs that encourage people who are in rough times or difficult places,” said Stevens, who produced the album with Garcia.

On Jan. 18, Tasha Cobbs won three trophies at Nashville’s Stellar Gospel Music Awards. Her father, Bishop Fritz Cobbs, came to Nashville for the show. The next day, he died, at age 59. Bishop Cobbs was on his daughter’s mind as she collected a best gospel performance Grammy for “Break Every Chain.”

“He was one of my greatest supporters, my greatest teachers,” she said. “Tonight, seven days after his death, I honor him with a Grammy.”